Amtrak is doing away with its dining cars. No longer will their rail travelers be able to enjoy the notable fine dining experience which, until now, has rivaled fine restaurants. The reasoning behind this change is that Amtrak has its head up its brass and thinks younger customers are more interested in screen time with their electronic devices than socializing with fellow passengers. Amtrak believes the millennial set is uncomfortable sharing stories and ideas with strangers as they travel and dine together. Perhaps some do. Perhaps the lack of anonymity they find on social media scares them. Many friendly,  non-transfixed patrons, who enjoy experiencing reality, prefer things the way they are.

The discontinuation of the dining cars will save Amtrak money by eliminating on-board kitchens in favor of prepackaged meals. These are being labeled “flexible’ and/or “contemporary” dining options. Couldn’t Amtrak simply add these options to accommodate preferences? Once Amtrak gets a fix averages of who prefers what, the company will see a net savings.

Peter Wilander, who oversees Amtrak’s customer experience, says, “Some people like (the dining car) and view it as sort of a nostalgic train experience,” adding, “Some people, especially our new millennial customers, don’t like it so much. They want more privacy, they don’t want to feel uncomfortable sitting next to people” they don’t know.

Does any of this sound like the promotion of a progressive antisocial agenda? Of course it does. It isn’t healthy and the results of peoples’ escaping into their electronic devices to shoot people and blow them up as blood and body parts fly across the screen, or avoid reality in other ways, can be seen everywhere you look (sometimes on the news). The ability to mingle and converse on a friendly level with new people is dying. As for the “nostalgic train experience”; something becomes nostalgic once it fades into the past. Dining cars aren’t nostalgic, but Amtrak wants to make them so.

This is one case where change isn’t only unnecessary…it is seriously wrong-minded.

In the meanwhile, Peter, find another line of work. Perhaps something that can be phoned in.

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